For over three decades, HIV has infected an ever-growing number of people, but two newly funded University of Manitoba research projects offer promising hope to change the disease’s course.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has provided significant funding to two Rady Faculty of Health Sciences professors: Medical microbiologist Keith Fowke and his team will receive $2 million dollars over five years to investigate how anti-retroviral and anti-inflammatory medications can prevent new HIV infections; and Obstetrics and Gynecology professor Adam Burgener and his team will receive $2 million dollars over five years to investigate how the microbiome in the human body interacts with vaccines and anti-retroviral drugs against HIV.

“I congratulate Drs. Fowke and Burgener on their success in this competitive funding award,” said Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) and Distinguished Professor at the U of M. “Their teams are made up of national and international experts who I have no doubt will make inroads in their investigations, for the benefit of all.”

On July 18, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Canada’s Minister of Health, announced an investment of more than $32 million in sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections research from the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).